Turn Right for Religion

Behind the obvious global rise in pilgrimage and religious tourism is not just the growing religiosity across societies, but also choices made by governments on the kind of infrastructure to develop. This trend has the backing of a market-driven push for commodification of faith and the Right-wing strategy of religion-based mass mobilisation

- Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

EVERY 12 years, a part of Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh turns into a town of countless tents. Millions gather at the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati—many Hindus believe the third flows underground—to take a dip in the holy waters during the Maha Kumbh Mela, believing it would wash away their sins. Sadhus of a myriad sorts, some with naked bodies smeared with ash, are seen acting in ways that most communities would frown upon outside this hyper-religious context. Many claim to have supernatural powers or great wisdom, and only some get labelled as fakes. This grand confluence of belief, blessings and business has long enjoyed the reputation of being the world’s largest religious gathering.

Much of the attention this year, however, was also grabbed by several mishaps. A stampede at the venue killed at least 30, and another at a railway station took 18 lives. Pilgrims attacked the overcrowded trains they couldn’t board. A scientific report revealed the water at the site for holy dips had high levels of faecal coliform (microbes from human and animal excreta) that made it unfit for bathing. Nothing, though, could stop the millions from landing in Prayagraj until the end of the 45-day event.

The media hype was unprecedented. The Centre, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government helmed by ‘Yogi’ Adityanath, a saffron-clad monk-turned-BJP-politician, aggressively promoted the myths around Kumbh—the Puranic tale of the churning of the ocean to obtain amrit, the nectar of immortality. Social media and a section of the mainstream media widely spread a claim that the 2025 Kumbh was happening at such an auspicious time that occurred after 144 years and would reoccur only after a similar gap, making it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the holy bath.